National 502 boiler

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Dabe22
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Hand Fed Coal Boiler: National 502

Post by Dabe22 » Wed. Dec. 14, 2022 8:36 am

I posted in testing section. Should have come here I guess. Today is my first day so bear with me. Any information or tips on this dinosaur would be appreciated.

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pintoplumber
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Post by pintoplumber » Wed. Dec. 14, 2022 1:20 pm

I have a hand fired boiler. This time of year, I have a fire on only 1/2 of the grate area. It’s putting out enough btu’s to heat the whole house. I keep the back 1/2 of the grate area covered in ashes, so no fire there. You might want to start with a smaller fire until you get a handle on firing the boiler so you don’t have overshoots on the temperature of the boiler.

 
Holdencoal
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Post by Holdencoal » Wed. Dec. 14, 2022 9:00 pm

So that’s a National Novus 50-w three piece pot boiler. Google it and you will find an old catalog that references it in detail.


 
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carlherrnstein
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Post by carlherrnstein » Thu. Dec. 15, 2022 6:30 pm

It's a handfed boiler without a jacket. I see no sight glass so I'm guessing it just heats liquid water. I cannot see any pumps but, the pipes look small for a gravity system.

Are you going to try to use it? How are the grates? Does it leak? Does the pressure relief work? Is the gauge a pressure/temperature or just one or the other?

 
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pintoplumber
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Post by pintoplumber » Thu. Dec. 15, 2022 9:36 pm

There’s a surface aquastat mounted on the pipe maybe controls a circulator?

 
Dabe22
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Hand Fed Coal Boiler: National 502

Post by Dabe22 » Thu. Dec. 15, 2022 10:25 pm

Yes it just heats water. 2 pumps (one for upstairs, one for downstairs). Yes I am using it. Grates are frozen in place but managing.we moved aquastat below elbow into a vertical position. It only sets for 1 temp and that was at 200 so we are assuming it starts pumps to prevent overheating. Haven't had it get that hot so not even sure it works. My son and I are learning as we go. Trial and error.


 
Dabe22
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Hand Fed Coal Boiler: National 502

Post by Dabe22 » Thu. Dec. 15, 2022 10:34 pm

The gauge has both and the pressure relief valves seem fine. Fire box full and decent fire left when I got home from work, house was 60. Could have been worse.

 
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pintoplumber
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Post by pintoplumber » Fri. Dec. 16, 2022 9:26 am

Are the grates frozen, or could there be something hard stuck between the grates preventing them from moving? Keep your bed of coals deep and try to keep the ash cleared.

 
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carlherrnstein
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Post by carlherrnstein » Fri. Dec. 16, 2022 8:02 pm

I would look the grates over carefully, they could be warped. But probably just jammed. Get some insulation on that thing, you want the heat in the boiler until the pump pulls it out.

Edit: are you having any specific problems?

 
Dabe22
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Hand Fed Coal Boiler: National 502

Post by Dabe22 » Mon. Jan. 09, 2023 6:37 am

carlherrnstein wrote:
Fri. Dec. 16, 2022 8:02 pm
I would look the grates over carefully, they could be warped. But probably just jammed. Get some insulation on that thing, you want the heat in the boiler until the pump pulls it out.

Edit: are you having any specific problems?
No specific problems. Just learning curves I guess. And grates don't work at all, that will have to wait till spring.
I can keep house at a constant 60 degrees so I'm okay with that.
Not all coal burning but I assume that's coming from grates not working so I just throw those chunks back on after cleaning off grates.

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